Click on the lock icon right next to website address in your browser.Click on the lock icon right next to website address in your browser.Open preferences by clicking safari icon in toolbar.

|

2

Notification permissions selection for the website are displayed in a dropdown, click on Site settingsNotification permissions selection for the website are displayed in a dropdown, click on Site settingsOpen 'Notifications' tab, you will see all the existing notifications.

1984 anti-Sikh riots: Sajjan Kumar surrenders to authorities

Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who was earlier handed a life sentence by the Delhi High Court for his role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, surrendered on Monday, the last day of the deadline set by the Delhi HC.

On Monday afternoon, Kumar reached the Karkardooma Court in Delhi to hand himself over to authorities and serve his jail term.

The 1984 anti-Sikh riots resulted in the deaths of around 3,000 Sikhs in Delhi, according to official figures. The riots broke out in the aftermath of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination, when mobs led by Congress leaders targeted Sikhs in the capital.

Love India news?

Stay updated with the latest happenings.

Notify Me

Conviction

Overturning an older verdict, the Delhi HC had convicted Kumar

Although Kumar had been acquitted by trial court in 2013, the Delhi High Court, on December 17, found him guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

Kumar was convicted by a bench of Justices S Muralidhar and Vinod Goel, who gave him time till December 31 to surrender.

During the sentencing, the HC observed that Kumar had escaped justice earlier owing to "political patronage".

The killings that Kumar had been involved in

Kumar was sentenced by the Delhi High Court owing to his involvement in the killing of five members of a Sikh family in Raj Nagar, and in the torching of a gurdwara in Delhi on November 1, 1984.

Appeal

Kumar's appeal for more time was dismissed by Delhi HC

Days after he was convicted, Kumar moved the Delhi HC asking for more time to surrender.

The Congress leader had appealed to the court to give him till January 30, but the Delhi HC, on December 21, dismissed his plea.

Kumar had asked for more time as he wanted to settle matters related to his property, but the court saw no reason to give him relief.

SC

Kumar had also moved the Supreme Court

Subsequently, on December 23, Kumar moved the Supreme Court against the High Court verdict, seeking an urgent hearing and quashing of his sentence.

In his plea, he said the the Delhi HC finding him guilty was "erroneous", and that he was being wrongly punished.

The plea added that there was no evidence to substantiate conspiracy charges against him.